Scroll-sawing machine



(No Model.)

J. W. MAXWELL.

solwLL 'SAWING MACHINE.

N0. 357,680. Patented Feb. 15, 1887. v

o I J) 0 N. PETERS. vhmumo n m Washington n c.

5 call in the said frame.

NITED- STATES PATENT Trice.

SCROLL-SAWING MACHINE.

EPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 357,680, dated February 15, 1887.

Application filed June 5, 1886. Serial No. 204,254.

5 State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Scroll-Saw'Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others is skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. a

This invention relates to that class of sawmills in which one or more saw-blades are reciprocated in the direction of their length to do work, and usually called jig-saws.

The object of this invention is to adapt jigsaws to cut profiles automatically corresponding with the profile of a form-pattern passed through the machine as a guide, on the principle of profile-sawing described in other applications for patents made by myself and now before the Office.

To this end my invention consists in the construction and combination of parts forming a jig-saw mill, hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a jig-saw mill according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section at the line xx, part in plan;

and Fig. 3 shows a modification of the saw-rotating device.

A represents the frame of the machine, and B the saw-carrying sash fitted to slide verti- This sash is to be reciprocated by any usual means, such as a re- ..volving crank connected therewith at O by a pitman or strap. In case the strap is used a spring, D, may cause or assist the movemen 40 in the return-stroke. r

5 the purpose of sawing the profile of the two edges of any piece of work at one passage thereofthrough the machine. Each saw-blade is hung in the sash B by means of an intermediate frame, G, which is fitted to slide in the sash transversely to the saw path or kerf,

and both ends of'each blade are hung in the frame G by means of cylindrical plugs H, col- (No model.)

lared at both ends. These plugs are journals for the saw, fitted to rotate in the frame G,

whereby the saw is guided to cut in any dircction, and the collars on the plugs keep them in the frame against endwise strain of the saw in act-ion.

I represents saw-guides slotted for the passage of the saw-blade through them and journaled to revolve in an inner frame, J, which is fitted to slide transversely to the machine in cross-bars A of the main frame A.

K represents rollers journaled on the inner frame, J, to bear and roll against an inner vertical face of the intermediate frame, G.

L is a roller journaled on a vertical shaft,

M, which is fitted to slide in the inner frame,

J, and provided with a binding-screw, N, whereby it may be fixed at the right height above the machine-table O for the roller L to roll against the edge of a profile-pattern, P, which is secured to the lumber or work Q.

When the lumber and the pattern secured upon it are passed through the machine, the roller L will be caused to travel on the edge of the pattern by pressure from springs S, which act between the sash B and the frame G to press the latter against the rollers K, thereby forcing the frame J and its roller L constantlytoward the pattern, while the convexities on the edge of the pattern press the roller L and frames J andG to move outward. Thus the two frames J and G are actuated as one body to traverse the machine, carrying the saw in a path nearly parallel with the profile of the pattern; but while the frame J slides transversely in bearings fixed to the main frame, so that the said frame J cannot move vertically, the frame Gr slides transverely in the sash B, which reciprocates vertically with the saw at work. Consequently the vertical bar of frameG travels against the rollers K on frame J. Thus both the vertically-reciprocating motion of the saw and its lateral traverse in following the profile of a pattern are accommodated by the said two frames within the sash; but the saw can work well only when parallel with its kerf, and as the varying profile is designed to produce a correspondingly varying or curved kerf, either the lumber or the saw must be kept continually varying in its course to follow the said profile.

Now, it being my principal object to saw two unlike profiles at once, and as the lumber could notbe turned to accommodate and direct the two profiles at once, I have therefore journaled each saw-blade to rotate in its frame so as to travel in any direction independently of the other, and I have provided guides whereby the saws will be automatically rotated by the action of the passing pattern to cause them to maintain at all times positions parallel with the adjacent portions of the profile, or directly in line with the head of the kerf. To this end T is a fiange raised on the pattern parallel, or nearly so,with its profile, and R is a follower slotted to straddle the flange and journaled in the frame J to rotate as it follows the curves of the flange. This rotation is transmitted to the saw by any usual means, such as the pinion a on the shaft of the follower R, the pinion Z) on the saw-guide I, and the rack c, engaging and connecting the two pinions. An equivalent device is shown in Fig. 3, in which the pinions b and a are represented by two armed levers, b and a, and the rack c is represented by a conneetingrcd, 0. Communication between the upper and lower guides, I, may be had through their respective racks c and a le- Ver, (6, pivoted midway to the frame J, or through a vertical rock-shaft, d, as in Fig. 3. The saw readily follows these guides, maintaining a plane between them, and is twisted between them and the plugs H onlyinaslight degree proportional to the friction of the said plugs in their bearings. By using a flange like T as a guide instead of the edge of the pattern, and aslotted follower to travel thereon instead of the roller, the saw-frames would be traversed both ways withoutthe aid of springs S or equivalent weights.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination, in a scroll-saw machine, of a stationary frame, a saw-frame adapted to reciprocate vertically therein, saw-hanging plugs journaled vertically in the saw-frame, saw-guides provided with slots for the saw to slide through and journaled in a portion of the machine which is vertically stationary and horizontally movable, a profile-pattern follower hung upon the said horizontally-movable portion, and connections between the said follower and saw guides, substantially as shown and described,whereby the guides may be rotated and the saw be twisted in its course by the turning of the follower, as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of a saw-mill frame, a sash fitted to reciprocate vertically therein, an intermediate saw-frame fitted to slide in the sash transversely, an inner frame fitted to slide in cross-bars of the mill-frame, rollers journaled on the inner frame to roll against an inner vertical face of the intermediate frame, and means for connecting asaw-blade with the said two frames, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination of a saw-frame, saw-attaching plugs journaled therein, a pattern-follower, saw-guides, and means connecting the follower and guides, substantially as shown and described, whereby the saw may be automatically rotated to follow a profile-pattcrn, for the purpose specified.

4. The combination of a saw-mill frame, a sash fitted to reciprocate vertically therein, a saw-frame fitted to slide transversely in the sash, an inner frame fitted to slide transversely in the mill-frame, saw-guides in the said inner frame, a pattern-followingrollerjournaled on the inner frame, and a vertical-sliding connection between the said inner frame and sawframe, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination of the saw machine frame A, provided with fixed cross-bars A, the sash B, fitted to reciprocate in frame A, a saw-frame, G, fitted to slide transversely in the sash B, a frame, J, fitted to slide transversely in the cross-bars A, saw-guides I, having slots for the saw to reciprocate through and journaled in the frame J, saw-hanging plugs I-I, verticallyjournaled in the frame G, and connections 0 d between the upper and lower guides, I, substantially as shown and described,whcrcby the reciprocating saw and its hanging-plugs may be rotated through the medium of non-reciprocating guides, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH \VILEY MAXWELL. Witnesses:

HENRY XV. MEYER, M. 1?. I'IIEATT. 

